Alloy for use in the manufacture of tetraethyl lead



Patented .Ian. 23, 1934 I OFFICE, I

ALLOY FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEAD TETRAETHYL William S. Calcott,Penns Grove,

Point,

Parmelee, Carneys Meschter, Penns Grove, du Pont de Nemours &

and Alfred E.

and Homer F.

N. .L, assignors to E. 1.

Company, Wilmington,

Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Original application August17,

1928, Serial No. 300,370. Divided andthis application October 3 Claims.

This invention relates to compositions of matter for use in themanufacture of tetraethyl lead and more particularly to a newcomposition of matter of lead and sodium containing an activating metalchloride.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No.300,370, filed August 17, 1928.

Thesuccessful production of tetraethyl lead 10 by the'interaction oflead mono-sodium alloy with ethyl-chloride depends upon the speed withwhich the reaction can be started and maintained at relatively lowtemperatures. It has been the practice to treat lead mono-sodium alloywith ethyl chloride under pressure, at temperatures varying between and100 C. By this procedure it has been possible to obtain yields of 80% ofthe theoretical. V

Wehave now discovered that if very small amounts of certain inorganicsalts, such as chlorides of aluminum or iron, are added to the leadsodium alloy, either during its formation or by remelting the alreadyformed alloy and incorporating therewith the desired compound, the al- 5loy is activated and higher yields of tetraethyl lead may be obtainedwhen this new composition of matter issubjected to the reactionconditions ordinarily employed in the manufacture of tetraethyl leadfrom lead sodium alloy and ethyl chloride.

- The following example indicates by way of illustration one embodimentof our invention:

10 grams of sodium, 90 grams of lead and 0.01 gram of aluminum chlorideare placed together in a suitable vessel and heated until the whole massbecomes liquid. The liquid mass is then agitated in any manner desiredto secure thorough mixing and is subsequently cooled. The coldcomposition of matter is then reduced to a powder and is placed inareaction vessel capable of withstanding pressure. of fineness oi thepowder is not an essentialiea- (Althoughthe degree 22, 1929. Serial No.401,621

ture, we prefer to employ a coarse'powder for this purpose.) Thecomposition of matter is then treated with ethyl chloride under pressureat temperatures varying between 35 and 90 C.

It will be understood that the conditions of pressure and temperaturemay vary as is usual in the known processes of manufacturing tetraethyllead and for this reason the details of the usual reaction conditions,and of the recovery of tetraethyl lead from the reaction mass, are notgiven because they are unessential' here. Our'improvement lies in thepresence of a metal chloride in the alloy, irrespective of theparticular conditions employed for the production or tetraethyl leadusing ethyl chloride. 'It will be apparent that other embodiments ofthis invention exist and may be practiced with out departing fromthe-spirit thereof, and it is understoodthat we do not limit ourselvesto the foregoing example or description except as indicated in thefollowing patent claims.

We claim:

1. A new composition of matter for use in the production of alkyl leadcompounds which comprises the product obtained by melting togethersubstantially 10 parts sodium, 90 parts lead and 001 part of one of themembers of the group consisting of aluminum chlorideand ferric chloride.

2. A new composition of matter for use in the production of alkyl leadcompound which comprises the product obtained by melting togethersubstantially 10 parts sodium, 90 parts lead, and

.01 part aluminum chloride.

3. A composition of matter for use in the production of alkyl leadcompounds which comprises the product obtained by melting togethersubstantially 10 parts sodium, 90 parts lead, and 0.01 part ferricchloride.

WILLIAM S. CALCOTI. .ALFRED E. PARMEIEE- HOMERE. MESCHTER.

CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTION.

Patent No. 1,944,167. Jenodry 23, 1934;

WILLIAM s. GALGOTT, ET AL.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Line 93,claim 3, for

"0.01" read 0,1; and that the said Letters Patent shonld be read withthis correclion therein that the same may conform to the record oithecase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this law day of March, A. p. 1934;

} F. M. Hopkins (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

